BROOKINGS, Ore. — A special group of locals got the chance to soak up the sun, surf and sand this weekend.
“We see so many people who never thought they’d be able to do this, so it brings so much joy to be able to see them and to assist them to get out and do things they didn’t think they could,” Casey Moore, said.
Moore is the Community Outreach Coordinator for David’s Chair Outdoor Mobility Systems.
The Medford non-profit gives the gift of mobility so people can hunt, fish, camp and hit the beaches.
What all started in 2017 with Rogue Valley man, David Hartrick, continues today.
Hartrick battled ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease.
He started the organization after he was able to raise enough money to buy his first all-terrain track chair so he could enjoy the outdoors again.
Today, years after his passing, the non-profit has six different chairs for adults and youth to use in our beautiful outdoors.
“Every day we’ve been at the beach and someone shows up with a disability and just, you know, these chairs attract so much attention and how can we turn them away and we’ve been squeezing new people in every day, too,” Moore said.
These chairs can safely dip about six inches into the water.
It’s an opportunity for people to get out and get away, at least for a little while, from the hustle and bustle.
“When you get in one of these track chairs on the beach, you forget about all the craziness going on. You enjoy some family time, feel the coastal breeze and it’s just nice to forget about everything,” Moore said.
Normally there are three to five group excursions per year, but COVID restrictions have limited what the organization can offer.
Check out the Facebook page or contact them through the website.
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